This invention relates to the transmission of communications over a communications network. More particularly, this invention relates to providing communication transmissions through an alternate network that is exclusive of the initial network, in the event of a failure during the transmission through the initial network.
Long-distance voice communications (i.e., communications between two different local exchange carriersxe2x80x94xe2x80x9cLECSxe2x80x9d) are typically accomplished through an inter-exchange service provider (xe2x80x9cIXPxe2x80x9d) that utilizes traditional analog transmission circuitry and signals. For example, assume a person in New York wishes to call someone in Texas. The New Yorker dials the Texas phone number on a phone serviced by NYNEX (i.e., the LEC in New York). NYNEX directs the call to the New Yorker""s long-distance provider (e.g., ATandT) who utilizes conventional fiber-optic networks to connect the caller to the LEC in Texas (i.e., Southwestern Bell). The Texas LEC completes the call by directing the call from the long-distance provider (via an xe2x80x9caccess tandemxe2x80x9d) to the central office (xe2x80x9cCOxe2x80x9d) that the Texas phone number is connected to.
The communication is completed in a normal fashion provided the person on the receiving end answers the phone. However, if the call goes unanswered, a failure occurs in the communication. A typical solution to the failed communication occurs when the called party subscribes to xe2x80x9ccall answerxe2x80x9d service through his/her local LEC, in which case the call xe2x80x9cgoes through,xe2x80x9d but to the service instead of the called party. Another solution provides an alternate way for the caller to leave a message, for when the called party does not have an answering service. For example, the caller could leave a message on a local server of the long-distance provider, which would periodically attempt to call the recipient to deliver the message. This solution, however, requires multiple transmissions through the networks, which are relatively expensive and may often be heavily loaded.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a technique in which the caller of a failed long-distance call could provide a communication to the recipient without producing additional, expensive, communications through the traditional analog/fiber-optic transmission networks.
In accordance with the principles disclosed herein, systems and methods for improving communication transmissions are provided. Advantages of the disclosed system and method are obtained by utilizing an alternate network in which communications transmission may be made on a scheduled basis instead of real-time as is normally used for communications. This results in reduced loading on the real-time voice network, enhanced loading of the alternate network, and reduced access costs (i.e., from the LEC to the IXP networks).
A local server at the caller""s location of the IXP detects the failed communication attempt and notifies the caller that the call did not go through. The caller is able to leave a message for the recipientxe2x80x94even if the recipient does not have an answering machine or subscribe to xe2x80x9ccall answeringxe2x80x9d from the local LECxe2x80x94in a manner that increases the efficiency of the traditional voice network. The message, which is initially stored on the local server, is sent to a server of the IXP that is local to the recipient""s location on a scheduled basis, rather than in real-time, through an alternate network. The alternate network may be a digital data network in which message packets and the like provide further improvements in efficiency; however, the alternate, separate, network may be formed from the same components as a traditional voice network. While it may be said that packet networks inherently forward packets in non-real time manner because a node may congested and packets may be delayed or re-routed, what is meant by stating that the message is forwarded in non-real time manner is that even the commencement of the sending of the message may be delayed. Moreover, it may be delayed a substantial amount of time, relative to the delay that normally occurs in packet networks. A two seconds, or even a few minutes, delay normally would not matter to a caller who was unable to reach a called party and chose to leave a message. The caller""s insensitivity to delay allows the xe2x80x9cluxuryxe2x80x9d of forwarding the message when the alternate network is not busy, or has spare capacity. To clearly distinguish between the two types of non-real time transmissions, the type contemplated herein is called xe2x80x9cdelay permissible non-real timexe2x80x9d transmission.